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modern architectural art for the wtc
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It is important to grasp that the settled peoples have dominated history. Carnage and culture attempts to show why. The major reason asserted for this is that settled people have much worth defending. The generalised argument is that ‘democratic’ peoples produce more formidable fighting/killing methods and machines than do top-down societies, where obedience overrides initiative. Hanson also tries to show a tendancy of settled societies to fight in a co-ordinated manner, rather than as individual warriors. There has been much agonising in recent decades over conflicts between military secrecy and western investigative journalism. There has also been fuss that those arguing against a particular course of action may, somehow, be playing into the hands of an enemy. Hanson argues, I think convincingly, that this friction is a necessary and productive part of the reason why western forces have been so much more innovative and successful than those of dictatorial states. This book discusses ‘western’ military structures and behaviour through nine examples
There is also an Afterword that comments on after September 11, 2001. In my view, Carnage and culture is an excellent, recent history book. It is the sort of history book that would form a useful basis for school study. There is much reinforcement of themes in the context of the nine real examples that Hanson chooses. This method of example also allows the author to present a wide-ranging and integrated approach to the Western and democratic traditions, instead of the, all too often, isolated and falsely boxed works that concentrate upon, perhaps, one battle or a short period in one nation’s history. Others have written in terms of the effect of specific innovation, both detached from the background society and with insufficient context concerning the societies with which they were competing. Hanson does tend to stress the blood an gore at times, and is no friend of political correctness. While these traits can both be seen as merits, this is not a book I would put into the hands of 12 or 13 year-olds, although it is useful background for a teacher of any age-group. The book would be excellent reading for reasonably educated 16 year-olds and above. It is also an first-class background history for the multitudes who have been ill-served by mediocre education. Hanson also writes regularly in the National Review, and is often worth reading. With introductory and summary chapters.
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paranoia in society: the dangerous mix of media and 'cults'an interesting review by the auroran sunset
Reproduced by permission of the auroran sunset
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Now gone from this world, two defining eccentric and humanitarian voices of the 20th century: Both were part of the modern cultural revolution still in the process of unfolding. Arno Peters, aged 83, developed of the ‘Peters’ Projection, used in the Peters World Map, adopted by champions of the fight against social inequality everywhere. Ivan Illich, aged 76, the former Catholic priest who railed against institutionalisation and lack of thought in many aspects of society. the web address for this article is
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A green history of the world by C. Ponting This review has been moved and is now included in the briefing document,
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exhibition of satellite pictures of earth
This is a seriously pretty range of images from around the world. The link is to the lead-in page for the 40 enlargeable thumbnails of images in the exhibition. Larger printed images (approx. 26" x 27") can be ordered at $30.00 plus a $5.00 handling charge for each order. Orders shipped outside of the US will incur a $20 International Shipping fee. The average delivery time is approximately 2 to 4 weeks. The web address for this article is
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zen
garden... Taking place in London, at the Tate
Modern until 5 January 2003, is an exhibition on Barnett Newman
(1905-1970), a great colourfield artist. Do not ask what it ‘is’ or what it is for, High-grade modern art, of whom Barnett Newman is one of the great exponents, must be listened to and absorbed like music. Analysis is subsidiary, or the study of the practising artist. You do not need to be an accomplished pianist or composer in order to profit from listening to Beethoven. The last substantial exhibition of Newman’s work was in the early 1970s. It is possible that this great artist’s work will not be available in a show like this for another thirty years. It is only in major exhibitions like this that you can have a full appreciation of the life-work of such a master. These works are large and textured. They vary in colour as the light moves and as you move. They cannot be adequately grokked from small printed reproductions. The real thing is alive. You may see a poor reproduction of Who’s afraid of red, yellow and blue II, one of his most famous works, at the Tate link provided above. You can see two other small reproductions at avantart.com, together with some background. Some expensive posters are available at Postershop.com. Here are some illustrations of Newman’s Stations of the Cross series, which is also on show in the Tate exhibition. the web address for this article is | ||||||||||
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The Viceroy’s
daughters, A. de Courcy, Recommended for any wishing to get a feel for the thirties in the UK. The old ruling classes are going to hell in a bucket. Among the other appeasers, Mosley cuts a figure between comic and dangerous, while dreaming of becoming the British Mussolini or Hitler. They’re all screwing around in a grand game of musical beds, while taking themselves and their trivial pursuits very seriously—spoilt rich kids inheriting great fortunes, meanwhile losing touch with the modern world. The author is an ideal person to write up their trivial life style, as she is a tabloid journalist who does not analyse, but just reports their interminably self-indulgent, self-involved, ever-narrowing world, as the country spirals mindlessly unprepared towards war I have read rather a lot on this period and the work is usually constantly irritating, as friends, relations or politically committed journalists attempt to justify or to vilify. Here you just get it straight from the diaries they kept, flat and without intrusive ‘analysis’. This makes the book far less of a nuisance to read. Unlike most books about these times, it is also well-organised and fluently written. It covers the trivial caperings of the Cliveden set, two of Mosley’s married mistresses—Diana Mitford and Baba Curzon—and the outrageously self-centred ‘Prince’ of Wales. Most books I have read tend to either concentrate on, or mention, one or other of these grown-up children in passing, but don’t weave them together in their full emptiness. The fact that the whole bunch are seen here cavorting in their interlocked incestuous vacuity is very useful. This is the heart of the generation damaged by the first World War, poorly educated and irresponsible, that had a great part in the decline of Britain. It is useful to reflect how very much worse things would be were it not for Churchill and the Thatcher governments. Britain is still struggling to escape from the inheritance this lost generation bequeathed. The story is not over yet, the echoes linger still.... the web address for this article is | ||||||||||
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